Name: magemadi (Signed) · Date: 13 Jul 2020 05:24 AM · For: Chapter 1

Hey Paula! :) 

 

This is such a cute, summertime family story, Paula, oh my god! Having all of the Weasley-Potter-Delacours + a stray Malfoy in one place all doing different things has got to be chaotic as it is, let alone having them be having a pool party, but you manage everyone very well. Percy being so nervous about everything just for the *visiting* baby who has no business even being in the pool is adorable and very Percy of him, which I enjoyed a lot. I’m glad we got to see him let loose a bit with the pool noodle and not admonishing the boys when he gets hit in the head with a beach ball. The ladies having their gossip time while the dads sit around and chit chat is just on point. I really needed a good dose of pure fluff, and this was it! Wonderful piece :) 

 

~Madi

Broom Racing

Name: Raspberry_cordelia (Signed) · Date: 12 Jul 2020 06:17 PM · For: Chapter 1

Hello there!  I'm ready for some vroom vroom broom racing!

 

I always love me some domestic Weasley fun, and you certainly delivered!  Percy can be overly careful sometimes, but I totally agree with him here - I've always thought that everyone should have a healthy fear of water.  No matter how much fun you're anticipating, having a baby come over for a pool party would definitely be worrying.  That being said, his household seems rather jolly most of the time, and I love your little introduction to Molly and Lucy.

 

The Weasey family is certainly big, but I think it's so vivacious and bright, and you captured that very well here!  Baby Adrian is adorable - and excellent addition to the Weasleys, if I may say so myself.  Victoire and Teddy are going to be wonderful parents.

 

This was a really fun story, and I enjoyed it a lot!

 

<3 Raspberry

HC Finale 2020 - Broom Racing

Name: PinsandKneazles (Signed) · Date: 21 Jun 2020 08:09 AM · For: Chapter 1

Hey Paula! It's been a while since I last visited your page and I thought I'd check out this one.

I love the great opening to your story, I'm excited to read more - a scene involving a swimming pool and some Weasleys is bound to contain a few antics! Percy's character immediately jumps out at me from the first couple of sentences, and I'm reminded of how fussy he is about rules and regulations with Audrey's mention of "up to code". Of course Percy's swimming pool would be meticulously designed and crafted. I think it's incredibly touching that despite his insistence in all things safety, he's still concerned for the youngest member of the clan; it shows how his rule obsession has a deeper purpose and meaning in caring.

The glimpse of Percy as a father is great; he is completely wound around the girls' little fingers and he's no authoritarian figure. The overboard concern for Lucy's minor injury really made me laugh! I hope he's not too overprotective or stifling of his kids, though. It's very heartwarming that Freddie (II) is his favourite nephew and they share a secret handshake. Percy never seemed to be particularly close to his siblings in the books and bore the brunt of Fred and George's jokes a fair bit, but it seems fitting that he is so close to George's son (I guess DH events must have played a huge part here). 

I would love to know more background about how Percy met Audrey - do you have any stories in your collection of how their relationship came about or any plans to write one if not?

We are introduced to a number of characters here, yet the story never seems cluttered or overloaded wth information; the narrative flows really well. There are so many individual lines that I'm curious about  - a hint at a relationship between Albus and Scorpius, a melon-eating contest, Dom's internship at St Mungo's, Scorpius at a Ministry get-together - so many aspects I want to explore further! 

It's a great, warming, feel-good fic; a wonderful snapshot of Wotter life and, as always, I adore how beautifully you've written it! Thanks so much for a fabulous read. Feeling all warm and fuzzy now!

 

Brax X

 

Name: TidalDragon (Signed) · Date: 31 Dec 2019 07:42 PM · For: Chapter 1

Howdy Paula! Sorry for leaving this down to the wire, but I wanted to stop by your work and check out everything I've been missing!

 

This story was a really great snapshot of summer for this crazy extended family. I feel like most of the time we seem them either at a major meal and/or holiday, sporting event, or the Hogwarts Express. And yet you did something different and enjoyable to read. 

 

I know this isn't really supposed to be funny (and that the characterization through the nerves about stuff is still great), but I thought Percy was really refreshed and fun to read here. He's mellowed a bit (Thanks, Audrey - and kids maybe) and kind of goies with the flow more - giving up on unnecessary questions or getting high-strung about the challenge of chicken or the antics of adolescence.

 

The kids' characterizations are also well done because even though there's a lot going on, each gets heard and each has a unique way of being.

 

This was a great, fun read! Thanks for sharng! 

Name: TreacleTart (Signed) · Date: 12 Jan 2019 05:28 PM · For: Chapter 1

Hey there!

 

I'm here for a review for the Magical Menagerie review event on the forums and also for the Gryffindor Red vs Gold Review Battle for January! I was searching for something to read and this caught my eye! I have a secret soft spot for happy Percy stories. I know he messed up as a young man, but I think he eventually redeems himself in the end and I think he'd be motivated later in life to have a good relationship with his family after losing so many years being a prat.

 

It was really seeing the way that Percy was behaving in this. Instead of his former uptight self, he was relaxed and simply enjoying being with his family. I like that he teases the kids and splashes water at them instead of getting upset at them for being rowdy.

 

I also really enjoyed the detail about Freddie being his favorite nephew. I imagine after witnessing Fred's death, he'd have felt a certain penchant for Freddie. I think maybe he is building the relationship with his nephew that maybe he regreted not having with his brother. It's a very bittersweet thought.

 

I had a good chuckle at drunk Ginny and Hermione toppling into the pool instead of knocking Ron and Harry into it like they'd intended. Definitely made me smile.

 

All in all, this was a very sweet, fluffy little bit of writing. I really enjoyed it. Good work on this!

 

~Kaitlin

Name: justawillowtree (Signed) · Date: 08 Dec 2017 08:39 PM · For: Chapter 1

I love how, when reading this, we can really get a grasp on exactly how large the family is. Reading all the characters' names really made me think, "Oh, wow. The Weasleys are...really good at reproducing."

 

It was really fun to read this! Every so often, reading a Weasley get-together without any secondary plot really brightens my day, and this fic did just that. I adore Father Percy, who scolds his daughters even though they can control him with a single adorable smile, and I love Uncle Percy, who develops handshakes with his nephews. (That handshake with Freddie? Amazing.)

 

I think it's great to read a story in which Percy has pretty much grown out of his snobbishness, while still keeping some of his original personality. I think this fic balanced the two very well! I enjoyed reading this a lot.

Name: MuggleMaybe (Signed) · Date: 01 Apr 2017 03:39 PM · For: Chapter 1

Hello, dear! I'm here to jailbreak Jo for quidditch but also I'm so happy I get to read you're writing!

 

This is the most lovely, fluffy story I've ever read! The Weasley are always amazing to read about, as a whole family, because they have such a clear sense of love and humor between them. But you've made this unique by spotlighting Percy's point of view. It's cool to see how you imagine him during a happy, relaxed moment. In the books, we rarely see him unless he's being a pill, but of course he can't be that way ALL the time! I thought you characterized him very convincingly. He's anxious, but he also loves his family and wants it to be fun. And I LOVE that Freddie is his favorite nephew because I've always imagined that Fred's death hit him extra hard. (But I don't want to think about that right now. This story is supposed to be fluff! :P )

 

I felt so relaxed by the narration and the point of view you used. It's like sitting back and surveying a scene, with nothing on your mind besides accepting the world as it is in thet moment. And the description is really subtle and lovely. I could almost feel the sun shinning. (Can I go to a pool party now, please?) 

 

In addition to Percy, everyone else is very well characterized, too. I found your portrayal of Ginny particularly fun. Oh, and your portrayal of Audrey. It's really cool that you made her so close with Angelina. Molly and Lucy with the inflatable giraffe was Just. Golden.

 

I think I need you to write more about this version of Percy's family. Please?

 

xoxo Renee

 

Name: Jo Raskoph (Signed) · Date: 01 Apr 2017 11:14 AM · For: Chapter 1

Lovely Paula!

It's been too long since I reviewed one of your stories – I sincerely apologise. This was a perfect one to start again though, because I can honestly say I absolutely enjoyed it.

Percy is probably a character a lot of people dislike at lest a little bit and I loved how you managed to show him in character (what whith fussing over safety regulations and liking Dom just that little bit more for her time in the library, and most of all envying Scorp all his contacts), yet at the same time you showed how well he turned out overall, after the war was over. A good guy basically, loving father and family man – he was just as despicable as the circumstances made him. It's no excuse of course, but he was trying to live and  by the rules of a corrupted ministry and the Percy we, or I, hated was the product of that ministry rather than an overall bad person. So yeah, I really liked that.

I think you captured the spirit of a great summer day with all the family around. Every paragraph showed another aspect of it and I could really feel the buzz of it all. I almost felt like I was there with them, feeling the energy of it and at the same time feeling a little lost as so much was happening at the same time.

That's actually the only cc I have for you – while (or maybe especially because of) the high level of activity was very fitting for this story I think the story could have used a little more structure. Maybe a definite start-middle-end, or another constant tying it all together… I'm not sure what or how, it's just something I noticed.

I think this scenario is one you know from personal experience? If so it shows in your writing, if not it's still very believable. I don't think I've empathised enough how lovely it was to feel this energy of summer. It was a very enjoyable read, but to be honest that's just what I expected from you. You are still the queen of fluff.

Thank you for this. Lots of love, Jo

Name: WindingArrow (Signed) · Date: 14 Jan 2017 03:00 PM · For: Chapter 1

Seeeee? This is what I'm talking about! Feel-good romp! Smile on my face from start to finish- Oooo, I love it! We don't really think much about Percy, though we know he exonerated himself in the end, for the most of the canon series, he's pretty much a huge prat. But here, we see him as a family man having the whole family over for a pool party and of course Freddie (I loooove that you spell it with an 'ie'!) is his favorite. :)

 

And awww, Baby Sam mimicking his uncle's appearance, THAT'S SO CUTE!

 

You have everyone characterized so well here and I love, love, love that Gin and Hermione tried to pull one over on the boys only to have it go south and they still come up laughing about it.

 

I love one shots like this, little snippets of happiness after the war. I do want to know, though- What happened with Aunt Muriel that she got herself uninvited to family get togethers?! Is there another one shot about that? I'll look for one...

 

-Liz

Name: Stella Blue (Signed) · Date: 14 Dec 2016 07:28 PM · For: Chapter 1

HI PAULA ♥ I saw on your holiday wishlist that you wanted reviews on your one-shots so I am here to bombard all of your one-shots with love.

 

My main thoughts after reading this story are:

 

1) there was a lot of food described in this and now I'm hungry

2) Why is it so darn cold outside? I'm jealous of the Weasleys and their summer weather and having watermelon and a pool.

3) I love your characterisation of Percy and I love to think he was able to loosen up a little after the war and after everything that had happened with his family - he seems to value his family so much here (despite not greeting some of them when they came in :P ) and he's just really happy to spend time with all of them. And despite the drastic change in his personality, this does very much feel like Percy because of the characteristic traits of Percy that never went away: how he quadruple-checks the fence, how he's really proud of Dominique especially because of all the hard work she does, and how he still feels the impulse to check Harry and Ron and make sure they're not about to start mischief (even though they're all middle aged haha - old habits die hard).

4) And I love the way the rest of the family reacts to Percy now. Ginny's reaction was so telling. This family is adorable :)

5) Scorbus!

Okay that about sums it up. Fluffy summer fun. I loved it!

Name: cambangst (Signed) · Date: 02 Nov 2016 11:51 AM · For: Chapter 1

Hi, Paula! More reviews, making the leap!

This story fit the premise well. A perfectly wonderful family day by the pool, filled with laughter and good company and fluffy to the brim. I love how Percy has become comfortable in his own skin, with just enough obsessiveness left over the make the character recognizable. Testing the gate, worrying over whether the fence was safe enough and carefully testing the chicken on the grill were just the right touches.

If I was going to suggest anything, it would be to delve a bit more into Percy's feelings in order to give the story better context. Percy made such huge leaps to reach this point. His values and outlook on life have changed wholesale since he was Cornelius Fudge's toady. I also wanted to read more about the connection between Percy and Freddie. I couldn't help but feel as though that relationship had its roots in the appreciation Percy found for Freddie's namesake in the final moments.

Also, one tiny suggestion for readability:

Ginny squeezed by Molly, Lily, and Lucy who were squealing loudly and hugging each other. -- Maybe say "squeezed past"? The first time I read that sentence, I couldn't quite figure whether Ginny was trying to get around the three girls or whether they were physically squeezing her. ;)

Neat story!

Name: pookha_staff (Signed) · Date: 01 Nov 2016 02:27 AM · For: Chapter 1

What a really nice piece of fluffy goodness. I know I've read it before either on HPFF or AO3, but couldn't remember if I left a review or not.

 

What I especially like about this is the nice characterizations, especially of Percy since we rarely get to see a relaxed side of him. I really liked the scene with Scorp and Albus later, too.

 

Good stuff and fluff is always welcome.